Losses of “Fear of Switching Off” in the medium and long term

July marks the beginning of the second semester and the traditional school holidays. Because of this, a large percentage of professionals take advantage of the time to take a well-deserved rest. However, a common and extremely dangerous practice persists: influenced by the "Fear of Switching Off" (FOSO), many workers remain connected to work during their vacations.

Prevalent among digital natives, FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) manifests in employees who, even on vacation, remain available for remote conversations and sometimes perform tasks and participate in meetings. The mistaken belief is that disconnecting for several days would hinder the progress of demands and increase pressure upon their return.

I believe this behavior is one of the legacies of the pandemic, when the boundaries between personal and professional life practically disappeared. Many professionals ate their meals while working, extended their hours, and took work home for weekends. The impacts of this overwork are already well known: burnout“, anxiety, insomnia, depression,” warns Maria Sartori, associate director of Robert Half.

The consequences of FOSO can be disastrous.

The medium- and long-term consequences of this difficulty disconnecting tend to be disastrous and are associated with decreased productivity, lack of motivation, bad mood, and other physical and psychological harms. Ensuring a period of complete rest is important to recharge and ensure that mental and physical health remain in order to deliver good results.

The example must come from leadership.

It is fundamental that companies do not view always-on holidays as tolerable or desirable behavior. A corporate culture that respects and values the rest, health, and quality of life of its workers encourages attitudes in this direction.

"Leaders should set a good example. If they disconnect during their vacation, their teams are likely to follow suit. Setting expectations regarding the period and sharing this information with the rest of the team is recommended. If it's clear that the rule is to go offline, everyone will feel safe to disconnect," comments the director of Robert Half.

Another important measure is the organization and delegation of responsibilities during absences. This helps both to avoid overload and failures and to encourage the view of complete rest as something positive, since team colleagues will provide coverage.

How to handle returns more lightly

It's normal for professionals to need a few days to get back into the work rhythm after a vacation. Managers should consider having a casual conversation about how their employees' time off went, and plan next steps.

Furthermore, to update the professional on what happened during their absence and involve them in ongoing activities and projects, it's recommended to gather the entire team.